gap year in israel

In a county with as much history and culture as Israel it is no surprise that there are a great many excellent museums to visit in the country. In fact there are more museums per capital in Israel than anywhere else in the world. You will visit some of these museums as part of your gap year program with Aardvark Israel and the rest are well worth the effort of seeing in your own time.

Of course the country’s main museum is the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. This is one of the world’s leading archaeology museums and it is home to over half a million objects. The most famous exhibit is probably the Dead Sea Scrolls but there is much more to see that is equally fascinating. The museum houses a number of temporary exhibitions each year so while you are spending time in Israel make sure to keep an eye on what’s available throughout the year.

Opposite the Israel Museum is the Bible Lands Museum which is dedicated to the cultures of the people mentioned in the Bible, such as the ancient Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines and so on. It is quite a small museum but is home to a brilliant collection of ancient Roman artefacts that are certainly worth a visit. You’ll have to ask to be allowed in to see the collection, but it is open to all and more than worth the effort.

Moving away from the theme of Israel and its history, Haifa is home to the Middle East’s only museum of Japanese art. The Tikotin museum is home to thousands of pieces of Japanese art and it is said to contain one of the best collections outside of Japan. If you find yourself in Haifa with some free time then be sure to stop by for a few hours.

In 2010 the Design Museum opened in Holon and it has quickly become recognized as one of the world’s best museums of design and contemporary culture. The collection is housed in an iconic building which was designed by Israeli architect Ron Arad and it is worth visiting just to see the building itself. Inside you will find a number of exhibitions on industrial, fashion, textile and jewelry designs.

If you are looking for further details on Israel’s culture then the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv is a must see. Opened in 1956 the Eretz Israel Museum is divided into pavilions that are home to collections on folklore, ceramics, excavations, photography, coins, glassware, postal history and much more. It is easy to spend an entire day at the museum and you will probably want to come back for more.

Israel is well known for its technological innovations so it is hardly surprising that Israel’s National Museum of Science, Technology and Space in Haifa is worth a visit. The museum does an excellent job of making science enjoyable and it is a great hands-on experience which can be enjoyed by all ages.

These are just a few of the hundreds of museums that Israel has to offer. During your gap year in Israel you should certainly make the time to visit as many of them as possible as each one will give you further insights into a huge range of fields.